BACKGROUND

Conflicts over management of abundant wildlife have increased dramatically over the past decade. Large herbivores are a particular source of controversy in many suburban communities. For example, some residents enjoy the presence of deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in their neighborhoods while others have become concerned about problems deer may cause, such as damage to landscaping and gardens or risk of vehicular accidents. In many communities, people’s tolerance for negative impacts of deer has been exceeded. Wildlife agencies and communities are faced with the challenge of managing deer in areas where the traditional management method of hunting is infeasible or socially unacceptable. At issue are not only the technical aspects of wildlife population control but also regard for socially acceptable solutions and management of conflicts among community members with opposing viewpoints.

This issue focuses on challenges faced by wildlife managers and community decision-makers in reducing negative impacts associated with high deer densities. The issue uses the case study of Cayuga Heights, New York (Chase et al. 2002) to illustrate the multiple stakes in deer management and trade-offs between management alternatives.

Cayuga Heights (population 3,738) is a relatively affluent residential suburb bordering the city of Ithaca in Tompkins County, New York. About 520 acres in size, Cayuga Heights is situated on hilly topography east of Cayuga Lake, one of the Finger Lakes in central New York. Deer find suitable habitat in the village’s numerous small woodlots covering side slopes as well as ravines unfavorable for home construction or maintenance as open lawn. Some Cayuga Heights residents conducted a petition drive in 1998 to document concerns about deer. In response, the mayor appointed a citizen committee to study the situation. Officially created in August 1998, the Cayuga Heights Deer Committee was charged to study the “deer problem” and develop recommendations for the mayor and village trustees. The situation in Cayuga Heights is not unlike that in many suburban communities in the northeastern and mid-western U.S. where controversy about management of deer is emerging; traditional management methods, such as hunting, are likely to be infeasible or socially unacceptable; and community members hold diverse wildlife values.